(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dye tubes, also known as dye springs and the like and more particularly to improvements therein.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Rigid and compressible dye tubes comprising sleeves of thermoplastic and other material or ones which maybe similarly constructed, for treatment of textile threads and yarns, are known as for example disclosed in Hahm's U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,696 dated Feb. 9, 1971 and Burchette's U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,274 dated Jan. 1, 1980. Various other examples are known including Burchette's Canadian Pat. No. 1,006,862 dated Mar. 15, 1977; Hahm's U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,491 dated Feb. 16, 1971; Nobutaka Ono et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,534 dated Aug. 21, 1973; Tigges et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,984 dated Sept. 9, 1969; Henning's U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,156 dated Mar. 7, 1972; Draper's Canadian Pat. No. 954,325 dated Sept. 10, 1974; Egyptien's U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,697 dated Feb. 9, 1971; Sottosanti's U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,287 dated Feb. 27, 1973; Draper's U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,532 dated Sept. 4, 1973 and Frank et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,301 dated Dec. 30, 1975.
A major disadvantage in respect of the prior art tubes is that they do not possess a combination of desirable properties including being rigid, having a "close knit" sleeve surface, in a non-compressed state, i.e., for use in winding, highly compressible and when compressed, having a "close knit" sleeve surface yet well and uniformly apertured, which provides a minimum of restriction for the passage of dye, during dying operation. Also, wherein all the web members, discussed hereinafter, remain in a non-collapsed state and give spring resilience to the tube, such being a disadvantage in respect of for example Burchette's tube disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,274 mentioned above. Furthermore, to provide a tube light in weight which maybe constructed using relatively simple molds and relatively small amount of material to thus provide a tube of low cost.